5 Easy Baileys drink recipes

holiday cocktails

easy, delicious drinks with Baileys

Baileys Irish Cream, a premium creamed Irish whiskey made almost exclusively of ingredients straight from the Emerald Isle, is a favorite of bartenders worldwide.

At home, we often just pour some Baileys into coffee for after-dinner drinks. But don't let the barkeeps have all the fun! You can make these five easy favorites at home, either as a sweet treat for mom and dad after the kids are in bed or at your next party or gathering.

Banana split martini

Yield: one drink

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce creme de bananes
• 1/2 ounce Baileys Irish Cream (classic or caramel)
• Cocoa powder
• 1 maraschino cherry

Directions:

1. Before you mix the drink, sprinkle cocoa powder on a small plate. Moisten the rim of a martini glass and spin it in the powder to rim.
2. Shake the liquid ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain the drink into the glass.
3. Make a small slit in the bottom of a maraschino cherry (on the opposite side of the stem) and slip onto the glass rim for garnish.

Baileys heaven

Yield: one drink

Ingredients:

• 1/2 ounce vodka (vanilla vodka adds extra sweetness)
• 1/2 ounce Baileys Irish Cream (classic or coffee)
• 1/4 ounce (Jamaican) coffee liqueur
• 1/4 ounce vanilla liqueur
• 1-1/2 ounce cream
• Cocoa powder
• 1 chocolate cookie straw

Directions:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and the liquid ingredients and shake well for 3 seconds.
2. Add a few new cubes of ice to a highball glass and strain your mixture into it (new cubes prevent splash-back).
3. Let the bubbles settle and garnish with a light sprinkling of cocoa powder and a chocolate cookie straw.

Creamier Baileys Grasshopper

Yield: one drink

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce Baileys Irish Cream (classic or mint chocolate)
• 1/2 ounce crème de menthe
• 1-1/2 ounce cream
• 1 mint leaf

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, mix the liquid ingredients over ice.
2. Fill a highball glass with ice and strain the Grasshopper over it.
3. Serve with a cocktail straw and garnish with fresh mint.

Orange chocolate dream

Yield: one drink

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 ounce white chocolate liqueur
• 1 ounce Baileys Irish Cream
• 3/4 ounce orange liqueur
• 1 orange twist
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoons bar sugar

Directions:

1. Mix the cocoa powder and sugar on a small plate. Dampen the rim of a martini glass and swirl in the powder mixture to rim.
2. Add the chocolate liqueur and Baileys to a cocktail shaker filled most of the way with ice and shake for half a minute.
3. Strain the mixture into the martini glass and float the orange liqueur on top.
4. Garnish with an orange twist.

Chocolate-covered cherry

Yield: one drink

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon grenadine
• 1 ounce coffee liqueur
• 1 ounce Baileys Irish Cream

Directions:

1. Pre-measure your ingredients into separate shot glasses.
2. Pour the grenadine into a brandy snifter first.
3. Slowly pour the coffee liqueur into the glass over the back of a spoon (with the tip against the inside of the glass), being careful to let it run down the inside (to prevent mixing).
4. Following the pouring instructions in step three, add the Baileys.
5. Serve immediately, being careful not to rock the drink too much to avoid mixing the ingredients.

Need more help with cocktails?

10 Must-haves for great cocktails
Basics of bartending (includes a primer on layering drinks!)
Homemade grenadine